The Theater Essays of Arthur Miller

by Arthur Miller

In a quarter century of commentary on the theater, Miller discusses the roots of drama, the nature of tragedy, his own work, and the American theater as an institution and a cultural force

Genres: Nonfiction, Theatre, Plays

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Works of American playwright Arthur Asher Miller include Death of a Salesman (1949), for which he won a Pulitzer Prize, and The Crucible (1953).


This essayist, a prominent figure in literature and cinema for over 61 years, composed a wide variety, such as celebrated A View from the Bridge and All My Sons , still studied and performed worldwide. Miller often in the public eye most famously refused to give evidence to the un-American activities committee of the House of Representatives, received award for drama, and married Marilyn Monroe. People at the time considered the greatest Miller.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_...

Reviews

[Indra]

The flaw of the (tragic) hero is nothing but his unwillingness to remain passive in the face of a challenge threatening his dignity- that in itself is tragedy, when he comes to realize the 'unchangeableness' of environment.

Miller is just as good of an essayist as he is a playwright- all focus is required to decipher his articulation and diction, but it is just as rewarding as it is challenging to understand the meaning behind.

[Ed]

Various writings from the 1940's to the 1970's on playwrighting and the state of theater. Passionate, thoughtful and often critical, a fascinating insight into Arthur Miller's relationship with theater and writing.

I think this would be a good read for any writer - to hear how a writer from an earlier era relates to the craft and a changing world and the aspirational view he has of the writer's role was really interesting.

[Michelle FakeName]

No idea that Arthur Miller was a such a thoughtful essayist as well as playwright. Presents his theory of "optimistic tragedy" to describe the draw of tragedy. He believed that the tragic feeling only came about because the audience innately understood that the suffering of a character against the world or other people was not fated and could have been changed. Tragedy therefore is a statement of human agency in a world with solvable problems.

[Ali]

مجموعه نظریات میللر در زمان های مختلف در مورد تیاتر و نمایش و آثار خودش